Hitch mechanism for tractors



Sept 23. 1930l w. l.l BALI- ENTINE ET Al, 1,176,408 moa uncnmsu Fon Truc'foas original Filed June 1F.. 1923 2 Sheng-sheer 1 n lm I Sept. 23, 1930. w.) r. BALLENTINE'ET AL 1,776,408

anca Msmmrsn Foa TRAc'rons Original Fizled June 16, 1925 2 Shoots-Shut 2- Patented Sept. v23, 1930 UNITED STATES `INIIILIAIMI I. BALLENTIN AND PAUL THOMPSON, OF LA PORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO ADVANCE-RUMELY COMPANY, LA. POILTEL INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0F l" INDIANA Lk IIITCII MECHANISM Fon'TRAcTons joriginai appnctionmd June 1 6, waaserial no. 645,751.y vDivided and this application nea June 25,

1923.` serial No; 647,609. 1

The present invention relates to hitches,

y, suchas thoseusedfin 'connecting a tractor to an agriculturalf'implement moved by .the

tractor, it being` understood'thaty the terms move and ,moved Aas ,herein used are generic to pushinglor driving and pulling or 'drawing the implement. ,f

This is a division of copending application Serial No.l 645,75'1led June16, 1923.

Among the objects ofthe invention areto provide a novel hitch whichmay be `readily jv and adjustably connected to vthetractor at any given position laterally with respect to the central line of travel of the-tractor or centrally thereof, when itis-desired to have;V

the implement'runalong side rows of plants orside furrows'or'centrally over central furrows orrows of plants over whichthe` tracto'r` maybe driving.; to provide such hitch with means for permitting the rolling of the :implement asitr rides over the irregular. surface or contour of thefground; to provide the rhitch with a hitch bar, preferably in the form of any upright member, having an end thereof preferably pivotallyconnected to the tractor and its other end free to move laterally to Vpermit the rolling action ofthe implement and the reach connecting theimplement to the hitch bar; to provide thehitchwith a race-way` means for permitting such free lateral movement of thehitchbar; to provide l. the hitch with meansfor permitting relative Y the clamp for rolling action of the yimplement; to `provide for adjusting thereach between the hitchr and the implement, for varyingits height with respect to the hitch; and

such further objects, advantages, and. capa-y bilities as vwill later more fully appearV and Aare inherently possessed by the'inv-ention.

.fngthe drawings illustratinga preferred Vembodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tractor and drawn implement .connectedhy a hitch constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side `view .of theV` hitch; Fig.Y 3j is a similar `view in vertical section; Fig. l is a rear view of the hitch and a tractor; Fig. 5 is a. top plan view of the race-way portion of the hitch, and Fig. G is a horizontal sectional view of the pivotal connection between the hitch and the tractor mechanism. f y y Referring ,now more particularly to the drawings, theinvention is shown as embodied in a tractor comprising a power plant 1, preferably of the internal combustion type,

supported upon a pair of bull wheels 2 rotatably mounted at theouter ends of a pair of Aaxle housings rigidly fastenedor secured to the sidcsof the engine frame or block by any suitable means.- At the `rear end yof the engine 1 is rigidly attached a housing 3 within which is located the power transmitting .means and the control therefor, for the driving of the wheels 2. At the rear end vof the housing 3 is attached a hitch mechanismlto which are connected the reachcst and 5 of `a i drawn implement suitably supported upon an axle V@and wheels 7. A. seat for the driver may-be supported by any suitable means 9 fastened to the drawn implement. A pair of reins 10 extend from the mechanism in the housing 3 through a pair of rein guides 1,1

to the seat 8 wherethe reins maybe manually i y 1 Referring to the hitch' mechanism, `the for-V ward ends ofthe reaches 4 and 5 are V'pivot- -ally `connected by means of pivots 12 and lto members 14 and lwhich are in turn pivotally connectedtovertical pivots 16` and 17 '19 suitablyl threaded to fit tightly into a clamp memberQO. The clamp member 20 together with a'clamp member 2,1 and a clamping bolt 22 passing through both clamp members, constitute a clamp means by which the lower end lofthve'hitch bar may beadjustahly connected,

laterally, to the tractor. Both clamp inembers 20 and21 have clamping flanges 23 and 24 adapted to it over the upper and lowerk rail'flanges 25 and 26 of a T-shape rail or cross member 27 securely fastened to the bottom of the housing dat-'the rear end thereof, by

means of'sui'table bolts 28, as clearly lshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.k The clamp means may be adjusted transversely of the tractorand along the head of ilanges and 26 of the cross ra'il inorder to locate theilowei eiid of the hitch bar 18 at an)7 desired 'position transversely of the lineof travel of the trac.- tor. This adjustment may be made where it is thereof, or along rowsorffurrows Vwhich lie centrally of the tractortheclamp-'being fad- Y Vupon the drawings l'preferred embodiment fof the invention, it isto beunderstood that .the inventiontisi not limited' to the particular justed, for the latter, to Vcentral'positiomuas clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. lThe adjustment ofthe clamp means isl o made by loosening the bolt 22 and then tightfening it again when the desired adjusted-position is attained.

, At the rear'upper part of the housing S'a're attached a pair of spaced race plates 29 and 30 by means of bolts 31 and 32 andspacers 33 and 34, the latter being of utility to hold the plates in spaced relation sonas to permit the movement therebetween of a'roller', The

upper end of the bar 18 has aforwardly' eX-a tending portion carryinga pivot pin 36 upon which is rotatably mounted a `roller 37,

the latter being adapted to ride or play between the race lplates 29 and '30, as clearly Y ble of angular motion about the aXis of theA shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings. Inasmuchv asthe roller 37 is carried Vby the upper end of the hitch bar 18fwhich is capapivot stud 19, theroller may ride in an arc 'path over the inner surfaces of the plates 29 and 30, the latter heilig of a sufcient width to permita free riding over such surfaces at all times without danger of the roller riding 0E of the edges of the plates.' This movement will lpermit the driven implement and rthe reaches connectedto it to have a rolling or vrocking action substantially about a horizontal axis as the driveniinplement rides over irregular surfaces or contours of the ground. Atthe rear end of the reaches t may be plv* Y otally connected one or more clamps38 which are adjustablyslidableonthe lower reaches 5, the clamp SSbeing capable of being tightened in any adjustable'position along the reaches 5 as desired. This adjustment maybe kmade when itis desired to vraise or lower the position Vof the implement with'respectjtotlie hitch. It vwill'be 'apparent that when they clamping member 38` is'm'oved 'rearwardl'yv` alongv the reaches 5 the implementwill have an upward `'adjustmei'it with [respect to VVthe hitch,v and when the clamping member Sis movedV forwardly it will Vhave va lowering adjustment.

Y The pivotal connections 16 and 17 between the reaches and the hitch bar 18 permit relative angular movement between the vtractor and the drawn implement when going around a curve or turning'a corner or for the purpose of steering. This angular movementlis ,pref-y 3 tractor mayv also beprovided with Y,crfaiinpk Y l preventing mechanism 40, more particularlyv Y describedin vthe aforesaid copending applicaf lVhileWe havehereindescribed and shownVV construction, details, and arrangement of 'Y V parts Vshown and described, but 'that' other constructions, details, and-'arrangements of parts v are comprehended bythe invention without departing from @the spirit thereof.

Having ynow described our invention, we

A hitch for connectinga traetorto an im-` pleinent moved thereby, comprising a cross member connected to thetractor, an upright member connectedV to the implement, neans adjustably connecting the members wherebythe implement may ride laterally or cen- I 'trally with respectfto thecenter line oftravel Y' of the/tractor, and-a race-way means4 con'- necting 'an end* of thel upright member and the tractor'wherebysaidiendof the upright j [member may be lfree toniove laterally-j 2'. A hitch fjorlconnectingfa tractorto an implement "vinoved' thereby, comprising a cross member iigidlyeonnected to the tractor,

f an upright member connected to the A implement, means adjustably connectingthe mem bers whereby tlierimplement may ride laterally or centrallywith respect to the center line of travel ofthe tractor, said means com# prising a Hfreepivotalconnection between the uprightv member and thev cross member to permit automatic lateral swing. ofthe upright member about said pivot. Y

3. A hitclilfor connecting a tractor to an .implement Ymoved f thereby, comprising aA cross member connectedy to the tractor, an

upright member connected to the implement,y means adjustably connecting the members ki'vherebyth'e implement may ride laterally for centrallywithrespect to the central linelof'; 'y

travel of the tractor, said means Ycomprising a pivotal connection between the lower end of theupriglit member and the cross 'mem-` Y ber andineans `o'ntlie tractor and flocyated' at the upperA end ofthe upright memberfor permitting free lateral movement thereof."Y t. A, hitch for connecting a tractor to an implement moved thereby, Acomprising 'a 16. Inf devices Vfor connecting attractor to f an implement to Abe 4moved thereby, means yfor.

providing relative bodilylateral Shifting of lthe implement and tractor, said means comy- Y prising a. two-point Supported arm, a gripping Clamp at one point of-snpport of the arm and Secured to a part of the tractor, arace'- Way at the other pointof support of the arm Y and Carried by the tractor, saidiarm at said other point of Support-including a roller having rolling Contact with the race-Way 'for angular moven'ient of the arm to permit relative rocking of the trac-tor and implement When movingoversurfaoes o'lf'irregular eontour', and means for connect-ing the arm to the implement. y

YV17. A hitch for connecting a tractor to en 'implement ,moved Vthereby,v comprising a Y member rigidly connected to the tractor, a

member connected to the implement,l and Clamping` meansslidably conneetedto said i'irstmember,V saidA clamping means having means for lixing the clamping meansat any `slid position.

18. hitch for connecting a 'tractor and Y an implement moved thereby, comprising a cross member rigidly secured to the tractor, an yupright member 'connected at one end thereof to the tractor and at the other end thereof to the implement, means adjustably 'connecting the members together forlateral or Central ridingof the implement relative to the 'Center line of' travel ol" the tractoi@ said -V adgustable. lmeans', including means for per mitting lateral swinging ot the upright memg ber andk connected implement.

l In Witness whereof. Wehereunto ysubscribe onr names to this vispeciioation. VLLIAM L BALLENTNE. Y Y PAUL R. THOMPSON. 

